Musical slipper

ABSTRACT

A child&#39;s slipper is provided having a decorative animal head and a music box disposed within the animal head. A hat is interconnected with the animal&#39;s head. A pull string extends from the music box, through the animal&#39;s head, and through the hat. A pull ring or bead is interconnected to the pull string, the pull ring or bead positioned exterior of the hat. The pull ring or bead is pulled to actuate the music box. A substantial portion of the pull string remains positioned within the animal&#39;s hat.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates to a child's slippers, and particularly, to a child's slippers housing a music box.

[0003] 2. Related Art

[0004] Children's slippers are made in countless styles and shapes. In addition to warmth and slip resistance, it is important that children's slippers are attractive and capture the attention of children. Anything that stimulates a child's interest in wearing the slipper is desirable. Numerous slippers in the past have included attention-grabbing designs, including:

[0005] U.S. Pat. No. Des. 49,212 to Hinicks which discloses a child's slipper having a rabbit's head positioned on the front and a tail extending from the back of the slipper.

[0006] U.S. Pat. No. Des. 153,364 to Kienzle discloses a child's slipper having a dog's head positioned on the front thereof.

[0007] U.S. Pat. No. Des. 157,704 to Rosen discloses a child's slipper having a duck's head on the front thereof.

[0008] U.S. Pat. No. Des. 161,371 to Reinhart, Jr., et al. discloses a house shoe shaped generally like a cat including a cat's head on the front portion thereof and a tail extending from the back thereof.

[0009] U.S. Pat. No. Des. 162,178 to Kaye discloses a slipper formed generally in the shape of a dog having a dog's head on the front thereof and a tail extending from the rear thereof.

[0010] U.S. Pat. No. Des. 428,684 to Mizrahi discloses a combined child's slipper and rattle having a frog face positioned on the front thereof.

[0011] U.S. Pat. No. 2,598,218 to Brumby discloses a toy and baby support therefore which is attachable to a child's slipper.

[0012] In the past, it has also been known that children enjoy and are attracted to toys that make sounds and/or having moving parts. Previous examples of such toys include:

[0013] U.S. Pat. No. 1,120,456 to De'Vall which discloses a toy in the from of a grotesque figure having moving colored disks or wheels arranged in the head of the figure.

[0014] U.S. Pat. No. 3,293,794 to Ryan discloses an animated talking doll.

[0015] U.S. Pat. No. 4,050,342 to Suzuki et al. discloses a music box housed within a toy in the shape of a bird.

[0016] U.S. Pat. No. 4,090,718 to Grimaldi discloses a button-shaped toy record player, which can be attached to lapel.

[0017] U.S. Pat. No. 4,575,347 to Kitamura discloses a toy music box in the shape of a human or animal face with moveable eyes.

[0018] U.S. Pat. No. 5,162,012 to Blandi et al. discloses a musical pull string toy having accordion pleats forming a bellows region. The bellows region forms a body, and a stuffed head in the shape of an animal such as a bear or mouse, is attached thereto.

[0019] U.S. Pat. No. 5,320,573 to Matsuyama discloses a spiral spring toy with a pulling string positioned in a doll body It has also found desirable in the past to provide musical and light attachments to shoes for entertainment purposes. Examples of patents in this area include:

[0020] U.S. Pat. No. 1,744,513 to Smith that discloses sound producing dancing shoes.

[0021] U.S. Pat. No. 2,572,760 to Rikelman discloses an illuminated shoe device.

[0022] U.S. Pat. No. 2,940,184 to Malone discloses a musical shoe heel having a music box disposed within the heel and having a key extending from the heel for winding up the music box.

[0023] U.S. Pat. No. 4,043,241 to Liu discloses a musical shoe having a plurality of keys under the shoe, which, when depressed, produce musical tones by means of an electronic circuit provided inside the shoe.

[0024] U.S. Pat. No. 4,771,556 to Kim discloses a sport shoe with melody emitting device that is actuated by movement of a Velcro band from a closed position wherein the shoe is retained on a wearer to an opened position.

[0025] U.S. Pat. No. 5,159,768 to Longo Jr. discloses a shoe with a music-generating unit in the tongue.

[0026] U.S. Pat. No. 5,345,700 to Norment discloses an athletic shoe with an assembly for generating an audible signal. The device is attachable to the shoe and comprises a unitary assembly including a board having a battery, microchip, audio speaker and on/off switch. The switch can be pushed to energize the microchip from the battery and generate an audible signal.

[0027] U.S. Pat. No. 5,402,590 to Lee discloses children's shoes having a musical box that can be activated by means of a switch. The device includes a battery source and waterproof enclosure housing a speaker and switch.

[0028] U.S. Pat. No. 5,855,080 to Van Staden discloses a musical shoe construction including a plurality of piezoelectric sensor disks embedded about the periphery of the heel and toe portions of a shoe. Each of the disks is associated with an oscillator circuit to produce a distinctive musical tone in response to force being applied to the sensor.

[0029] U.S. Pat. No. 6,000,149 to Pomerantz discloses an audio shoe that includes a channel extending into the sole from a side edge with a speaker attached to the channel.

[0030] What would be desirable, but has not heretofore been developed, is a child's slipper having decorative, appealing look and additionally including a sound generating device, which is mechanical and does not require batteries.

OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0031] It is object of the present invention to provide a child's slipper having an attractive design and a sound-generating device.

[0032] It is an additional object of the present invention to provide a slipper having a decorative animal head positioned thereon and a music-generating device positioned therein.

[0033] It is a further object of the present invention to provide such a decorative slipper with a music box wherein the music box is spring driven.

[0034] It is a further object of the present invention to provide such a decorative slipper with a music box wherein the music box is actuated by pulling a string interconnected with the music box.

[0035] It is a further object of the present invention to provide such a decorative animal's head on a child's slipper having a music box, wherein the actuating string extends through a hat positioned on the animal's head.

[0036] It is a further object of the present invention to provide a decorative animal's head on a child's slipper having a music box wherein a hat is positioned on the animal's head and frictionally interconnected with the actuating string so that when the string is pulled, the top of t he hat extends away from the animal's head and the string remains within the hat.

[0037] It is a further object of the present invention to provide a child's slipper having decorative animal's head and a music box wherein the actuating string remains within a hat on the animal's head and does not get exposed.

[0038] The present invention relates to a child's slipper comprising: a sole; a flexible cover interconnected with the sole; an animal head interconnected with an upper surface of the cover; a music box disposed within the animal head; a hat having a lower edge interconnected with the animal's head; a pull string extending from the music box, through the animal's head, and through the hat; and a pull ring or bead interconnected with the pull string, the pull ring or bead positioned exterior of the hat; wherein, when the pull ring is pulled, the pull string is pulled from the music box, and preferably the top of the animal's hat is pulled away from the lower edge of the hat on the animal's head to actuate the music box, the pull string being retained within the hat and when the pull string retracts the hat collapses onto the animals head.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0039] Other important objects and features of the invention will be apparent from the following Detailed Description of the Invention taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

[0040]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the children's slipper of the present invention.

[0041]FIG. 2 is a side partially cut away view of the slipper shown in FIG. 1.

[0042]FIG. 3 is a side view of the music box shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0043] The present invention relates to a child's slippers having an animal's head thereon and a music box therein. A pull string that extends through a hat on an animal's head actuates the music box. When the string is pulled the string can extend the hat and when the string retracts the hat collapses on the animals head.

[0044] As shown in FIG. 1, a child's slipper is generally indicated at 10 is shown. The slipper 10 includes an ankle band 12, a sole 14, a cover 15, and an animal's head 16 interconnected with a top or vamp portion 20 of the cover 15. A hat 18 is interconnected with the animal's head 16. A music box 30 is housed within the animal's head 16. A pull string 32 extends from the music box 30, through the animal's head 16 and under the hat 18. The string 32 may be interconnected with the top 19 of hat 18. Preferably the string 32 is frictionally interconnected with the top of the hat 19 permitting slippage between the string and top of the hat 19, although it may be physically attached or sewn to the string. A pull ring or loop 34 or bead 34 a is interconnected with the pull string 32 at the top 19 of hat 18. Preferably a bead 34 a is used (FIG. 2), although any safe type pull means can be used.

[0045] The slipper 10 is manufactured in accordance with principles known in the art. As such, the ankle band 12 is manufactured and interconnected with the cover 15 as is known in the art and the cover 15 is interconnected with the sole 14 as is known in the art. Similarly, the animal head 16 is interconnected with the top 20 as is known in the art. The animal head 16 can take on any desired form. Preferred animal heads include those that would be attractive to children and can include generic animal heads or can portray famous or merchandised animals or even other characters.

[0046] Referring to FIG. 2 it can be seen that the animal head 16 is interconnected with the top 20 of cover 15 of slipper 10 and houses a music box 30. The music box 30 comprises a string driven music box mechanism that is well known in the art. This type of device has been referred to as a Swiss spring driven music box. The music box 30 is powered by a spring that is wound by the pulling of a pull string 32. The pull string 32 extends out of the animal's head 16, and within hat 18, and is interconnected with a pull loop 34 or bead 34 a. The pull loop 34 or bead 34 a and/or the pull string 32 is preferably interconnected with the top 19 of a flexible or collapsible hat 18 so that the hat 18 moves (as shown at 18″) when the pull string 32 is pulled (34′). Preferably this is a frictional interconnection between the string 32 and a hole in the top 19 of the hat 18. Some slippage can exist between the string 32 and the top 19. By pulling the pull loop 34 or bead 34 a in the direction shown by arrow A, the spring mechanism within the music box 30 is wound up and the music box 30 plays musical notes while the pull string 32 is retracted back to within the music box 30. Because the hat 18 houses a substantial length of the pull string 32, the pull string 32 is not exposed to any great length and will not lead to tripping.

[0047] As shown in more detail in FIG. 3, the music box, generally indicated at 30 is formed within a housing and positioned on a base plate 40. The device includes a tooth rotor 42 and flexible sound boards 44 that bear against the tooth rotor 42. The music box 30 includes a driving assembly 50 covered by protective cover 51. Dual gears 52 translate motion from the driving assembly 50 to the tooth rotor 42. The power to the device is supplied by pull string 32 that is interconnected with pull loop 34 or bead 34 a. The loop 34 or bead 34 a is pulled in the direction of arrow A (to 34′) to wind the driving assembly 50 to drive the device. After it is extended, the pull string 32 is retracted within the music box 30 in the direction of arrow B. Mounting bracket 36 may be provided for securing the music box 30 within the child's slipper.

[0048] In use, a child can wear the slippers of the present invention as one would wear any other slipper. When a child wishes to activate the musical box within the slipper, the child merely grabs the pull ring or bead and pulls to the string to actuate the driving assembly for driving the music box. As the music box plays, the pull string 32 is retracted therewithin. A substantial length of the pull string 32 is housed within the animal's hat and is not accessible to a user and therefore prevents tripping, entanglement, etc.

[0049] Having thus described the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the foregoing description is not intended to limit the spirit and scope thereof. What is desired to be protected by Letters Patent is set forth in the appended claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A child's slipper comprising: a sole; a flexible foot cover interconnected with the sole; a decorative object interconnected with an upper surface of the foot cover; a music box disposed within the slipper; a cover interconnected with the decorative object; a pull string extending from the music box, through the decorative object, and through the cover; and wherein, when the pull string is pulled from the music box, the top of the cover is pulled away from the bottom of the cover, the music box is actuated and a substantial length of the pull string remains covered.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the decorative object comprises an animal's head.
 3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the cover comprises a hat attached to the animal's head.
 4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein a pull means is located exterior of the cover and is attached to the pull string.
 5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the pull means is interconnected with an upper portion of the hat.
 6. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the pull string is frictionally interconnected with an upper portion of the hat.
 7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the music box is positioned within the decorative object.
 8. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the music box is positioned within the animal's head. 